section: before and after 
today’s first before & afters are all about ikea hacks- that popular pastime of changing inexpensive and basic ikea furniture into something customized and completely different.
first up is eric teng, creative director at dmd insight. eric decided to turn his ikea bedside tables into chic mid-century nightstands using a little bit of paint, a can of stain and some great new handles. he documented the entire process right here, but the pictures above speak for themselves. it’s always so great to see generic pieces turned into something that looks stylish and custom-made. great work, eric!
CLICK HERE to see ashley’s ikea table-to-ottoman hack after the jump! read more … August 20th, 2009 - 09:03am 
today’s final before & after comes from marites abueg, who submitted this beautiful bathroom makeover her firm, abueg morris architects, completed. normally i try to focus on homespun reader projects but sometimes it’s fun to add in a pro job here and there- especially when the result is so clean and serene.
marites and co. made over this san francisco victoria bathroom using recycled barn siding for the flooring and with custom walnut cabinetry from an incredible designer named thomas wold (be sure to check out the work on his site- it’s awesome). i absolutely love the way the floors came out and think that it sure beats the yellow and brown combo in the previous bathroom. thanks to marites for sharing!
[have a before & after you'd like to share on d*s? just send me an email right here with your images!] August 13th, 2009 - 01:00pm 
renee of eat.live.shop sent in this beautiful before & after. she and her boyfriend found an old wooden door curbside (free!) and thought they could make something cool with it. it was in rough shape, but with a little work it was transformed into a great table top! how did they do it? renee and her bf removed the hinges, cut it down to size, sanded it down to the original wood (which still has a hint of the old layers of color showing through) and stained it with a walnut colored stain. after reattaching the hinges, they applied a weather sealer for protection and secured the new table top to the base of an old wrought iron sewing table they had “kicking around” and voila! a unique, custom table for around $50. bravo to renee and her boyfriend for seeing the potential in this found object.
[have a before & after you'd like to share on d*s? just send me an email right here with your images!] 
August 13th, 2009 - 12:00pm 
d*s reader laura hale was browsing through her local thrift store when she saw this “lonely little grey train case miserably tossed in a corner”. despite being full of dings and stains, laura thought took it home for a little tlc and a handmade makeover. she primed the entire case inside and out, painted the outside fields white, the trim black, and the inside fuchsia, and then decoupaged poppies from her favorite snow & graham wrapping paper onto the interior and exterior. a few coats of poly (to keep it stain resistant) later, it’s now laura’s “favorite thing”. great work, laura!
this ottoman makeover comes from graphic designer rachel shingleton. tired of the brown pleather upholstery on her storage cubes (which were sitting around collecting dust) rachel decided to whip up a few colorful covers made from fabric she found on etsy. a few hours later her storage ottomans had gone from dark and dreary to bright and cheerful. thanks for sharing, rachel!
[have a before & after you'd like to share on d*s? just send me an email right here with your images!] 
CLICK HERE to see leila’s beautiful burlap and button pinboard makeover (including a fun how-to!) after the jump! read more … August 13th, 2009 - 11:00am 
today we’re kicking off before & after day with three projects from d*s readers. first up- paul and jim from center44 in nyc. this design-savvy duo turned chinese screens into a clever “headboard” that masks the storage closet behind their bed (you can access the closet from the wall to the right of the bed). it’s such a clever but simple way to make the best of a small space situation. thanks for sharing, paul and jim!
next up is an outdoor bench makeover from d*s reader kim. kim “rescued” her bench from a duplex that she rented nearly a decade ago (a tenant in another unit left it behind). in the years since, it has served as everything from a plant stand to “random paint swatch test subject.” but after a few coats of spray paint and some handy sewing from kim, it’s now a colorful place to have a seat out back. great work, kim!
[have a before & after you'd like to share on d*s? just send me an email right here with your images!] 
CLICK HERE for jelena’s electric orange lamp makeover after the jump! read more … August 13th, 2009 - 10:00am 
today’s final before & after comes from art director tamsin allen and her photographer husband, with whom tamsin runs a series of photography courses. when they’re not busy working and teaching, tamsin and her husband have been tackling the remodel of their victorian home in london. their most recently finished project is this gorgeous kitchen remodel. tamsin’s handy husband did a lot of the work himself: he replaced the radiators, the ceiling cornicing, the ceiling rose, plastered a wall, replaced the skirting boards, fit the electronics, and did all of the architraving. wow! the floors are originals, but spruced with a “jacobean oak” stain and floor glaze. the rest of the decor is a mix of ebay finds and their favorite modern design objects. i’m blown away by the chic-ness of the final result- great work, guys!
[have a before & after you'd like to share on d*s? just shoot me an email right here with your images] 
August 6th, 2009 - 01:00pm 
up next- two clever before and afters that involve elbow grease and a little bit of paint. first up is a project from sidney wagner of eclectic interior design group.
sidney found this old piece at an antique mall with a sign that said “not a wine wrack” and decided it had potential (and a previous life as some sort of balcony remnant). after taking it home, sidney had a local craftsman attach legs, and added a bright coat of white paint and a glass top to create a chic table for her sunporch. great work, sidney! there’s another porch-related makeover after the jump, so be sure to click “read more” below.
[have a before & after you'd like to share on d*s? just shoot me an email right here with your images] 
CLICK HERE to see kristen’s beautiful striped porch floor makeover after the jump! read more …  August 6th, 2009 - 12:00pm | 
